SHADOW MINISTER FOR LIVERPOOL MEETS MARITIME SECTOR BUSINESSES
General, 25 Jan 2010
SHADOW MINISTER FOR LIVERPOOL MEETS MARITIME SECTOR BUSINESSES
Business leaders from some of Merseyside's foremost Maritime Sector companies met with
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling in Liverpool last week (Wednesday 20 January) to highlight key issues affecting the industry on Merseyside.
The one-hour private briefing session with Mr Grayling, who is MP for Epsom and Ewell and also 'Shadow Minister' for Liverpool, was organised by Mersey Maritime, the sector representative body for Merseyside.
Mr Grayling opened the session by praising the 28,000 people employed in Merseyside's Maritime Sector and acknowledging the industry's remarkable resurgence on Merseyside. He told the specially invited audience of 20 leading maritime company directors that the Port of Liverpool was a "real success story" and "an industry that should go on from strength to strength".
Whilst acknowledging that the importance of the Maritime Sector to the UK economy was often underestimated, Mr Grayling gave assurances that a Conservative Government would be "much more business focused" and it was "inconceivable we could form a Government without keeping our ear to the ground in a city like Liverpool".
Matters raised during the briefing session, which took place at the offices of Liverpool law firm Hill Dickinson, included two particularly high profile issues: the battle for survival faced by businesses operating within the Port of Liverpool that have been hit by potentially crippling backdated port rates, and the imposition on shipping lines by the current UK Government of swingeing increases in light dues.
Mr Grayling said an incoming Conservative Government would not intend to pursue the payment of unfairly imposed backdated port rates and would instead retain the previous structure for port rates revaluations.
On the question of increased light dues, the imposition of which could potentially lead to fewer vessels calls into all UK ports including Liverpool, Mr Grayling promised to consult with colleagues to keep the matter high on the political agenda. He also gave assurances that dialogue of this kind with business leaders would certainly be expected to continue under a Conservative Government.
Jim Teasdale, Chief Executive of Mersey Maritime Group said: "As the body that represents the interests of the Maritime Sector on Merseyside, we are very actively involved in keeping MPs and policy makers informed, both regionally and nationally. The session provided an excellent opportunity to bring the Shadow Home Secretary together with maritime business leaders for a constructive dialogue."
End.
Issued on: 25 January 2010
Issued by: Mersey Maritime Limited, Monks Ferry, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 5LH
Forthcoming Maritime Related Events 02/02/2010 - 'FACE-2-FACE'
